Blood And Smoke
by thebestthing13
Summary: "Zuko, please don't make me chose between my family and you. I'm afraid of what I'll pick."
1. Chapter 1

1:

I must have been young when I was captured from my home, too young to remember. I have a few memories, but their foggy and blurred. The earliest clear one is Captain Mai Ong said I was old enough to stop being mothered by Cook. He is my master.

"Kadi!" The Captain barkes. I scurry towards him, bowing at my waist.

"Yes, master?" My dark brown hair falls into my face. As I stand, I swoop it back into my bun.

"Go fetch some dinner for me and my guests." He says in his gravely voice. I nod, and race to the kitchen, my feet slide slightly as I go. I race down the stairs and into the large kitchen. Cook is down their, with his wife and two sons.

"Cook, how's dinner coming along?" I ask, leaning on the door frame.

Dev and Tomi are kneading bread. Isi, the wife, is mending clothes. Cook is...cooking. Rice. A large, heavy, pot of shining white rice.

"No. Give this rice another ten." I nod and sit on a stone bench. My hands are itching to practice my bending on a jug of water in the corner, but I don't. Dev finishes kneading the bread and sits by me.

"Hello, Kadi." Dev is my age, fifteen. Tomi is thirteen. Cook and Isi always joke that Dev and I are destined for each other. I don't mind it, Dev most certainly doesn't mind.

"Hello, Dev."

We idly chit-cat for eight minutes until Cook gives us a nod.

"It's ready." Dev, Tomi, and I take large plates heaping with food up the stairs and into the dining room. As we serve the people, the captain pulls me aside and whispers softly into my ear.

"You will pay for this later. You kept my esteemed guests waiting."

"Yes master." I whisper back. Dev, Tomi, and I slip back into the kitchen. There are more trays to take up, and we do. When all of the food is spread over the large table, we serve them.

When it's finally finished, and the guests are leaving, Captain Mai Ong looks at me.

"Go to the library." He says. I nod, knowing what the library will contain for me.

When he comes, I am waiting for him. He begins to yell at me. He is drunk, his speech is slurred and it looks as if his mind is reeling. I can take his words and the blows. But it's when he firebends I cower. He attacks me with everything he has, I am lucky I have my knife. I can fight him.

But I can deflect the blasts.

Eventually, I escape and run to the kitchens. I have a burn on the base if my neck, one on my left thigh, and one on my side.

"Kadi!" Isa shrieks. She rushes to me and I collapse in her loving arms. She sets me on her and Cook's bed. Dev comes in and holds my hand while she looks for salves and bandages.

"It hurts." I whisper.

"It'll be OK." He whispers back. He kisses me, gently. My stomach flutters. I stare into his eyes, they are green. Deep green.

Isa comes in a shoos him away. She peels away my tunic and applies layers of salve and bandages.

"I can't stay here, Isa. I need to leave."

"You're crazy, Kadi. Your burns need to heal."

"No. I need to get out of here, Isa. I need to find my family. And...I'm scared of being burned again."

"Please stay." Maybe Isa already knew that I made my mind up, her eyes were sad. I loved Cook and company. And Isa and Cook had always joked that Dev and I would get married.

He had kissed me after all.

But I needed to go.

Now.

I looked at the brand on my side. It was a circle with a flame inside. Over the flame was word 尤 (dragon). Every servant here had the mark.

As soon as she was done, I race into my tiny room. I take a sac and fill it with a change of clothes, shoes, my knife, a blanket, and a writing set. I had had the knife since I was little. It was beautiful, and very different from the earth kingdom and fire nation knives I was surrounded with. It had a few holes in the blade, and the handle was wrapped in strange, but beautiful, leather. A piece of cord with a few beads and charms was tied under the blade. I look into the mirror.

I have long, dark brown hair, tan skin, and bluish grayish greenish eyes. I turn the knife over in my hand. I undo my braid. With one quick movement, I cut my hair and send it fluttering to the floor. My hair is just short enough I can put it into a bun, which I do. I head back down to the kitchen.

They stare at me in shock.

"Your hair!" Cook says, reaching up to touch it.

"It's horrible!" Tomi said, looking at me with eyebrows raised.

"I think it's beautiful." Dev whispers. I blushed.

Isa sighed and hands me a change of clothes. I slip into her bed room and change. It's simple pants, a tunic, and a belt. Cook hands my a pair of tough leather boots.

"Goodbye, everyone." I said, smiling through tears.

Everyone hugs me tightly except Dev. When the others back away, he comes and holds me tightly.

"Hurry home." He whispers. I blush and when he pulls away, I kiss him.

It's strange and beautiful, kissing to the sounds of Cook and Isa's awws, and Tomi's "Yuck!"s.

I pull away.

"No promises." I whisper. I turn and exit out the door. I take an ostrich horse and mount her.

We gallop together, out of the fore nation colony.


	2. Chapter 2

2:

I sold the ostrich horse in the first village I found. I bought a flask of water and some bread with the money.

The hot sun beat on my back. I wanted to crawl in a hole and just...cry. I had a blister on my foot and my burns were feeling...burny.

I saw a couple roasting a pig over a fire. I smile. The wife is pregnant. I missed Tomi's birth by two years, but I got to see him develop into an amazing young man.

I turn and see a tall, pale boy on an ostrich horse. He touches his swords. He is going to attack the couple for their food.

"NO!" I yell and run toward the boy, knife drawn. "You ARE NOT going to attack that family!"

"I wasn't." He says, he voice is dry. He gives his ostrich horse a kick. I watch him pass me.

"Wait! Can I hitch a ride with you? I can pay. I have money and water and food."

"Fine."

I rush towards him and climb up on the back of the ostrich horse.

"Water."

"Yes, of course." I hand him the water flask. He takes a long deep drink before handing it back to me. I hook it back it up to my belt. I suddenly realize how tired I am. I have been trekking in foot for too long. I want to lay my head on him and sleep, but...this boy is a stranger. Even so, I don't think I would do it.

"Relax." He says with a smirk. "I don't bite hard."

I nod, even though he probably can't see me, and lay my head down on his back. I awkwardly wrap my arms around his waist.

I don't remember the ride to town.

"Wake up." The boy says.

"What?"

"We're here. Go get some water. I'll get some food."

"So we're traveling together now?"

"Do you see any better ideas?"

"No. Give me your jug."

He hands me his jug and I dismount. I ask an old hag where the locale well. I fill our jugs up and head back to the store. The boy is talking to a group of soldiers. A couple of young boys were standing around the edge of the store. I walk up to him.

"Maybe a chicken flew over." He says, his voice mot revealing anything. I snicker. The store keeper comes out with two heavy bags of feed. The soldiers take them away with large smirks.

"What?" I spin around to yell at them some more but the boy grabs my arm.

"Don't." His voice is cold and for the first time I get a good look at him. He is pale with short black hair that reminds me of Dev's. A large scar covers most of his face.

The small boy comes out from behind the store.

"Hey. My name's Lee. Thanks for not ratting me out. Do you want to spend the night at my place? We can feed your ostrich horse."

We only have time to mount back up before Lee drags is off.

Lee's house isn't anything special. There are many different pig varieties. I reached over to pet a rooster pig, but my companion jerksmy hand away.

"You don't own me." I hiss. I reach up and pet it. It screeches and I fall back off of the ostrich horse into the mud. Lee and my companion both laugh. I glare at them and stand up.

"My mom can wash your clothes once we get there. She's good at washing. She has this soap that smells like leechi nuts. Do you like leechi nuts? I love leechi nuts."

I laugh behind my hand. "I prefer almonds. What about you?" I turn to my companion.

"I don't like nuts."

"That's OK. My brother doesn't like leechi nuts either. He's allergic to leechi nuts. Deathly allergic. If. I touch a leechi nut then touch him, his tongue swells up."

"Fascinating, Lee." We approach Lee's house. His father and mother are a good looking couple.

"Mom, Dad, can my friends stay here tonight?"

"Of course Lee. Miss, do you want me to wash your clothes?"

"That would be wonderful!" I say, maybe a little too excitedly.

"My name is Bao, my wife's name is Hanna, and you've met Lee. Do you mind if I ask your names?"

"Mine is Kadi." I say,with a tiny nod.

"Ummm...uhhhh..." I can see the wheels turning in my companions head.

"Don't worry, you don't have to tell us."

"Do have any work you need done?"

Hanna brightens. "Kadi can help me with making dinner, and you can help Bao with mending the barn roof."

He nods. He goes with Bao and Lee. Hanna gestures for me to come into their house. It's a tiny three room hut. She gives me some new clothes and takes my old ones Hanna takes me into the kitchen/dining room. We begin to make dinner, staring out the window.

"So, are you and your friend...dating?" Hanna says with a devious grin.

"No. I just met him, see? But I do have a guy back home."

"Ohh! What's his name?"

"Dev."

"What does he look like? Have you kissed? Does your family approve? What did he think of you leaving?"

I laugh silently to myself. Its obvious where Lee get's his talkativeness.

"Tall, rosy skin, black hair, and green eyes. Twice. Yes. He was sad, but understood why I had to go."

After a light dinner, my companion and I are herded into the barn. We divide the hay into piles to sleep on.

"Goodnight, stranger."

"Goodnight."

He woke me in the morning, leaning over me face.

"Morning." His voice is still cold.

"Morning. Get out of my face." He stands back. I get up and stretch. We take our ostrich horse out and head on front of the house. Hanna gives me a set of new clothes. Bo hands us another loaf of bread, some jerky, and some feed.

"Thank you." My companion bows and accepts the food. I take the jerky and stuff it into my bag with the bread. He goes up to mount the saddle, but I push him away.

"Ladies first." I saw with a smirk. I hear Hanna laughing softly. Just as he mounts, the soldiers from yesterday ride up behind us.

"Well, hello." The leader says with a smirk. "I have some bad news for you, Bao. Hahn has been captured. And you guys all heard what happened to the last group of men the fore nation captured." All of the men smirk and laugh.

Bao turns to Hanna. They nod.

"I'm joining the army." His voice is hard, yet soft. "Maybe I can find Hahn then." He hugs Lee and Hanna before mounting on of the ostrich horses.

Lee looks up at us. "Will you stay?"

"No." He sighs and hands Lee the knife. "Read the inscription."

"Made in Earth Kingdom."

"The other one."

"Never get up without a fight."

He nods before kicking the ostrich horse. I yelp in shock as we move along, quicker than I expected.

"Not so easy is it?"

"Oh shut up and take a nap."

We ride for several hours before stopping in a small wooded area by a river. We dismount and I sit by the river. I cup my hands a take a deep drink.

"Jerky?" I say, reaching into my bag.

"Yes." I take a few pieces out of the bag before tossing it to him. He takes one piece and chews on it thoughtfully. Out of the blue, Hanna tides up to us in a cart pulled by an ostrich horse.

"Please, come back to town. Lee ran at the soldiers with a knife, I don't even know where he got it! The men said that if he,s old enough to fight, then he's old enough to fight in the war! Please help, Lee trusts you."

My companion stands up. "You don't have to go." He says.

"I am doing this." I pull out my knife. We mount up, me in front. I kick the ostrich horse and she takes off. We fly into town. Lee is tied up to a metal pole. The soldiers are drinking beer and laughing. My companion dismounts and tries to untie Lee. The soldiers begin to attack. I leap off of the ostrich horse and jump into battle. All I have is my knife, and it's not like I have years of experience. My companion is grateful for my help. His sword is revealed to be two swords, Dao Swords. He is a very skilled fighter, but the head soldier knocks him down.

I turn wildly, without him, I'm helpless. I back off, and the grin, their smiles wide and gruesome.

"Please get up." Lee and I chant. "Please."

In a heartbeat, he jumps up, fire and swords swinging.

"Fire." I mouth. "He's a fire bender." My burns scream in pain. Memories of Captain Mai Ong flash through my head.

"My name is Zuko, son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai, Prince of the Fire Nation, and heir to the throne!"

I can't think. Everything's a blur. I turn and run to the ostrich horse. I mount her and give her a strong kick. We sprint away. Tears are rushing down my face and I can't control them.

I hear the Captain's voice.

"You will never be safe. Fire will always be around you. You will never find your family. You will never see Cook, Isa, Tomi, and Dev again. You will never find peace. "

"No! No! I will find my family! I will see Cook, Isa, and Tomi! I will see Dev again. I will..."

When the ostrich horse gets tired, we walk. We have reached the desert again, and the sweat is pouring off of her back.

"You know what?" I whisper to her. "You need a name. I think I'll call you Rulanda. Yeah, that's a good name. Dev and I had an imaginary friend named Rulanda. She was married to a guy named Ronan. Cook and Isa would joke that one day, Dev and I would get married. If I had stayed, we probably would've. I mean, we already kissed. Isa used to say 'Kisses are promises'. Do you think so too? Of course you don't. You can't even understand me. I think I might be going crazy. But I'm scared if I stop talking, I'll see Captain Mai Ong again. And that scares me."

I pat her neck. The sun is sinking into the horizon and I know I need to find a place to set up camp. I choose a spot under a large boulder. I know I should set up a fire...but I can't. I pull out some jerky and begin to munch. I hand Rulanda a piece of bread and we eat in silence. I tie her to a nearby bush and pull out my blanket. I settle down for a nice long sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

3:

I wake up the next morning to a hot sun and a cool breeze.

"Morning, Rulanda."

She makes a small grunting sound. I smile and rub her head.

"Have a nice sleep? Oh, me too. Yeah, I'm glad I didn't have any nightmares either. Very bothersome..." I change into my spare outfit and munch on some bread. I untie her and mount up.

"We're gonna find some place to settle down...a nice town somewhere, maybe." I mutter under my breath. We head back to the road. Her feet make dull, clopping sounds on the packed earth. I take out my knife and hold it to the light. It makes me feel safe, it makes me feel like someone out there loves me.

"Dev loves me. Isa, Cook, and Tomi love me." My words carry out into the wind. "But we both know I'm not talking about them, Rulanda. I'm talking about blood and bone now. You know what, Rulanda? I think I'm going crazy. I'm talking about my life problems to an ostrich horse! Yep, I'm certifiably insane."

She nickers and I smile. We head on. It's the perfect weather, warm with a breeze. I look up at the few drifting clouds. Their the wispy kind today. One drifts lazily across the sun.

I'm so focussed on the clouds, I almost fall off when she stops.

"Hey! What made you stop, girl?" I pull myself back into place. I look around and see a large flash of light. I dismount and sneak up behind a rock.

It's my old companion, I mean Prince Zuko, and some old man. My heart beat quickens and I yell.

The old man looks around.

"Zuko, did you hear that?"

"Hear what, Uncle?"

"That noise, like a girl screaming..."

"Maybe it was the wind."

I try to scramble back, but my foot gets tangled in vines. As I'm pushing and pulling, something in my foot is hurt. I scream in pain. I can't stop trying to get away, though.

"Kadi." Zuko sees me and approaches me.

"Get away! Get away you...you...fire bending filth!"

The old man moves him aside and steps towards me.

"Don't worry. My firebending filth of a nephew isn't going to hurt you. Let me get your foot out of those vines."

"NO! Get away!" Desperately , I scoop up some sand and throw it at his face. He blocks it with his hand.

"I promise we won't hurt you."

"Your fire benders, everyone knows you can't trust a fire bender!"

"Please calm down, or I will be forced to knock you out."

I take several deep, shattering breaths before nodding. He kneels beside my foot.

"Your foot looks sprained. Zuko, bring your swords here so I can cut her foot out."

"That won't be necessary." I mean for my voice to be cold and calculating. Instead it comes out shaky. "I have a knife."

I hand it to him and he examines it.

"Water tribe?"

"I don't know."

"Oh."

He cuts easily through the vines until my foot is free.

"Zuko, come here. I can't help her up."

"Again, not necessary." I whistle and Rulanda trots up. I wrap my arms around her neck and she lifts me up. I wiggle onto her back.

"Hey! That's my ostrich horse!" Zuko yells.

"Zuko, she can have it. You bought another one anyway."

"Yes, but I wasted good money one it when I could've just tracked her down and stole it back."

"Well, you didn't." I snap. "Now, give me one good reason I should stay, old man."

"My name is Iroh, though if you travel with us for long enough, you will probably start to call me Uncle. And...safety in numbers and my good tea that's two, miss."

"My name is Kadi, and I fail to see the reasoning behind your reasons."

"Please, we are traveling through different towns right now. Once you find a town that suits you, we can part in peace."

"Fine. Put tell your hot head of a nephew to get me some wood, a big log preferably."

"I don't have to take orders from you!" He yells. I ride up close to him and stare him down.

"Do what your uncle says, little princely."

He growls deep in his throat before going off into the woods.

"So you were traveling with Zuko?"

"Yeah. He told you about that?"

"Yes. He said you ran away when he was fire bending."

"It scared me. I mean, who wouldn't do that?"

"He said your reaction was different then the rest of the peoples'. He said you seemed terrified."

"Well...I have a bad past with fire benders."

"That is the case for to many people." He sighs. We turn and see Zuko coming with a large log. "Thanks." I take it and my knife and begin to try to carve.

They stare at me and I raise my eyebrows.

"You can go back to your lesson."

"Well, don't you want to get down?" Iroh says.

"I'm fine up here."

They go off to the cliff ledge. I carve away. Rulanda gets antsy, slowly but surely, and begins to walk away.

"Hey! Stay, girl."

"It'd probably be easier if you let Zuko help you down."

"No, Iroh, I'm fine up here."

I'm not paying attention to them, but I hear Zuko running up to the higher cliffs. It's beginning to storm. I realize with a jolt, I'm stuck up here until Zuko comes down to help me.

And it doesn't look like that's happening soon.

He's yelling at the wind. I shiver. I direct Rulanda under the lean to and wait. He comes back in about half an hour. Iroh is standing in the doorway, waiting patiently. Zuko marches back, practically steaming.

"Ahem." I say, holding my arms out. He grunts and lifts me up. He carries me into the run down building. As he set me down, I pulled out my blanket. While still in his arms, I lay it out on the ground. He set me down and I wrapped it around me.

"Toasty." I mutter.

"Tea?" Iroh says with a smile.

"What kind?"

"Jasmine."

"A man after my own heart." I saw with a large smile. I take the tea and begin to drink. "Very, very good. Best tea I've ever had."

"Thank you very much." I finish the tea and set the cup down. "Good night." I lay down and roll over.

"Zuko, please figure out how to make a fire."

"How Uncle?! We're in a wooden house!"

"Burn a hole out..."

The voices drift away as I fall into sleep.

"Wake up, Kadi. Wake up!"

I hear Zuko's voice and moan.

"You are terrible at waking people up."

"Thanks for the compliment. Now get up."

I reach up to slap him.

"Clear out so I can change." As he and Uncle walk out, I sigh. I miss taking baths and clean clothes. I switch into my last clean outfit, a dark green tunic with dark brown pants. I swoop my hair into a fresh bun and head out.

"There's river about a mile off you can freshen up at." Iroh says with a friendly smile.

"Thanks." I silently wish I would've known about that earlier as I walk. I splash the crisp, cool water on my face and scrub my nails before heading back.

That's when I realize something.

"Hey. My ankle's better. You don't have to carry me anymore, Zuko."

"I guess not."

Iroh and Zuko climb up onto their ostrich horse. I grab my bag before mounting Rulanda. When begin our trek, heading west down the edge of the cliff. I peer over into the depths of the canyon. I shudder as I imagine falling in.

We ride mostly in silence. Occasionally, Iroh will tell us about tea, but Zuko silences him. After hearing this five times, I direct Rulanda so I'm right up next to them.

"Hey, I'd love to hear what your Uncle has to say, princely."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT! AND DON'T BOSS ME AROUND!"

"I'll call you and boss you whatever and whenever I want, princely. Go on with your story, Iroh."

I'll admit, I wasn't paying attention to the story. Something about his first time playing Pai Sho. But I nod and pretend I'm a good little story listener. I can visibly see Zuko getting more and more furious.

"Fascinating, Iroh. Maybe you can teach me more about Pai Sho sometime. I've always wanted play it, put I've never had the opportunity."

"As soon as we find a good set and board." Iroh says with a happy smile.

Zuko groans and I stifle a laugh.

"Is that all you two care about? Pai Sho?"

"No." Iroh says while giving me a wink. "There's tea too."

"Grrrr!" He looks angrily around for something to punch or burn. I snicker.

"Calm down, princely."

"What did I say about calling me that?!" He splutters.

"That you love it."

He shoots a plume of fire at me.

It's only because Rulanda gallops forward that I'm not burned to a crisp.

I can't breathe, I can't think.

All I see is Captain Mai Ong and his gruesome smile as he burns me, his mad eyes as the room gets too hot.

"Kadi, Kadi." Iroh whispers. They have pulled up next to me. I realize that I'm crying and Iroh is holding my hand. Zuko is pointedly looking away. I wipe away my tears.

"Let's get going."

I flick Rulanda's reigns and we gallop forward. I can hear Iroh and Zuko arguing far behind me.

"Did I deserve that, Rulanda?" I murmur. "Sure, I was teasing him, but he didn't have to try to kill me."

Another blast of fire is aimed at me and I freeze again. Sweat is pouring down my face. I'm pretty sure that Iroh or Zuko wouldn't do that to me again, so who could it be?

"Hey, my old friends, the Rough Rhinos." Iroh says. I can hear the smile in his voice. "Zuko, Kadi, each of these men are masters of a certain kind of weapon."

Rulamda takes a few cautious steps forward. One of the RRs sees me and aims his arrows at me. He and his Rhino Lizard walk toward me. I pull out my dagger, only, what good would that do? The leader sends another blast of fire at Iroh. My hands tightens around my dagger. The archer sends a flurry of arrows at me. I duck and swing my dagger at one. I deflect it. Rulanda and I weave into the main fight. Zuko and Iroh are fighting with everything they have, which is mostly fire. I try to hold back tears at the sight of it, and the fact that I'm completely useless.

"I need to teach you how to fight." Zuko says, as he stops me from being strangled.

"As much as I hate it, agreed."

Finally, they disperse. We are all panting. I wipe away a few tears and memories. Iroh looks at me worriedly, but I ignore him.

They catch up and we settle into our former routine. Finally, we come to a tiny, run-down, desert town. We tie the ostrich horses to the fence. The tea shop is crowded and dark. Tough, burly men sit in corners, eyeing me.

"Stay close to us." Zuko whispers. I shoot him a look. "I'm just looking out for you."

"I can take these guys." I mutter back.

He smirks. "You so sure, rider?"

I snort. "You wanna bet, princely? And where did you get the name, Rider?"

"You seem so close to my ostrich horse."

"Best you could do, princely?" I mock. He turns away, defeated. I smirk again as we order a pot of jasmine tea and sit down. I pour myself a cup and take a slow drink.

"Not the best tea I've ever had." I mutter.

"Uncle, why don't you ever have friends that don't want to kill us?!" Zuko says, his tone almost whining. I smile into my tea cup and take another drink.

"I think I've found one." Iroh says in a quiet, contemplative voice.

"Joy." I mutter. Zuko turns to me, eye brow raised. I shrug. We head over to the Pai Sho table.

"May I play you?" Iroh says in the same calm voice.

"Please." Says the man sitting there.

Iroh sets down the white lotus tile.

"You favor the white lotus tile? Not many still cling to the old ways."

"The ones who do can always find a friend."

Zuko and I share a look of bewilderment. They begin to play, the tiles hit the board with a satisfying click. When they are done, a flower blooms over the board. They bow to each other.

"It's such an honor to be in the presence of a Grand Lotus." The player says.

He takes us to a small flower shop.

"Where are you taking us?!" Zuko yells.

"I agree with, princely. This is getting too weird."

"Please forgive my nephew and his friend, they don't understand the perceptive arts."

Iroh knocks on the back door. A peephole opens.

"Who knocks at the garden gate?" A voice says.

"Ones who has eaten the fruit and tasted it's mysteries." Iroh says. The door opens and we head in. The door closes in Zuko and my faces.

"Hey!" We yell.

"I want an explanation for all of this...nonsense!" I yell.

"Uncle, why can't I come in?"

"Zuko, this is for club members only. He Ping says there some food in the side room if you get hungry. Kadi, I hope you'll stay, even if this is all nonsense." Iroh says through the peephole.

It shuts with a small bang. Zuko and I are alone...with each other. I walk away to a bunch of daffodils and sit down. Zuko sits across from me. We stare at each other.

"Princely." I say.

"Kadi." He says.

"Still can't come up with a good name?"

"Poppy?"

"Eh, I've heard better." I feel a small well of anger and sadness inside of me burst. The worst part is, I don't know what trigged it.

"Name one name."

"Can't." I say in a voice, that I hope, sounds coy. I trace the spot where my brand is. Tears slowly trickle out of my eyes. I wipe them away. He comes and sits next to me. I tense. "I don't want your sympathy."

"Then I won't give it. But I am gonna teach you some hand to hand combat. It's not my speciality, but I can teach you a little bit." He stands as do I. We face each other. He aims a punch at my nose. I duck and spin around to his back. He turns to face me again and I kick at his face. He grabs my ankle and flings me to the ground.

"Ow." I say, rubbing my back. He comes at me again and I duck a well-aimed punch. I punch his stomach and he moans.

The moan turns into a growl as he attacks me again. I duck and force him to the ground.

"I guess you aren't that good at hand to hand, are ya, princely?" I say with a smirk.

"Why do always act like that?!" He yells.

"Like what?" I lean casually against a wall of flowers.

"Like you're...the queen of the world. Like you know everything and the rest of us are just stupid."

"I don't act like that?"

"Than what do you call, princely?"

"A clever nickname."

"How about annoying? How about rude? How about a personal reminder of your past?"

"I don't know your past, and you don't know mine, kay?"

"Oh, you don't now my past?"

"Maybe your Uncle told me a rough out line. I'm not the prying type, and you better not be."

"Oh shut up. I bet your just dying to know all of my secrets."

"Oh yes, cause your life has just been so scandalous, princely."

"There you go again!" He yells. I'm not sure, but I think a fine layer of steam is rising over him.

I snort and move into a different section of the flower shop. It smells beautiful, the flowers are beautiful. I lay my fingers on their delicate, almost rubbery, petals.

"Look, I'm sorry. I don't know anything about you. I shouldn't have judged you like that." He comes up next to me.

"Look, I'm going to leave once I see a town I like. So, let's keep the fights to a minimum. I don't want to see you in ten years with some big grudge hanging over our heads."

I almost expect him to laugh, but he doesn't.

"This might sound weird, but...tell me one secret you've never told anyone before."

"When I was little, I escaped form...where I lived into the back valley. I spent an hour there, making a fake wedding. I pretended an old tree was my fiancé and a particularly tall flower wed us. I actually kissed the tree, you know. Your turn."

"Whenever I couldn't sleep, I would head into an old courtyard in the palace. There was a turtle duck pound there, and I would sit there for hours, tossing in coins and making wishes. When I'd come back, the coins were always gone. I pretended some great spirit had taken them and given them to my mother so she could come home."

"Your mother left you?"

"She was banished, like me."

I turn and he's touching his scar.

"Let's go back to the door." I say. We do. I take out my blanket and curl up in it. Zuko looks around before finding one of his own, as well as some food.

"Hungry?"

"No."

It's not long before I fall asleep.

I wake up in a pool of light. Iroh and his friend smile down at Zuko and I.

"We're heading to Ba Sing Se." Iroh says with a smile.

"What?!" Zuko yells. "We can't go there!"

"There's millions of refugees in Ba Sing Se. No one will notice three more." The player says.

A teenage boy runs up to us. "There are two men outside looking for them." He points to Iroh and Zuko. The player rubs his hands together.

"Thanks, He Ping. Come along my friends."

Zuko and Iroh are stuffed into a cart filled with flowers. Rulanda and the other ostrich horse are hitched up to it. I drive the cart until it's safe enough for us to get out and ride to Half Moon Bay. We'll catch a ferry from there.

**A/N: That ELEVEN page chapter, ladies and gentlemen, took me most of this week. Thank you to everyone who's reading. Please leave comments, I love them dearly. Special shout out to Edlover23 who has favorited this story as well as me. :) I love this episode when it turns up in fan fictions, there's usually a big fight or a lovey dovey scene. I live off of both. And comments. And favorites. **


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